Edit: Come to think of it, the football team for USQ (in Toowoomba) has a few players with an African heritage. There is a growing Sudanese community in Toowoomba, and i know for certain a lot of them are talented basketball players, and i'd imagine those who are in the usq football team would be no different. So what Les says about it not being as big a culture shock for players if they moved to Aust. from Africa as it's made it, imo could be quite true.

Last edited by Johnners; 14-08-2007 at 07:46 AM.

Originally Posted by Jono

Mitch Johnson is ****ing awesome for cricket.

Originally Posted by pasag

Ponting's ability to ton up in the first innings of a series should not be understated. So much pressure, so important. What a great!

Les Murray brought up something the other day that i've thought about of late. How come we haven't recruited any African players to join the A-League?

Don't know much about the A-League, but I'd assume it's a matter of perception more than anything. In a country were a sport is competing with other, more popular sports, the players imported from other countries will almost automatically come from the better known places for that sport. Everybody knows Brazil's reputation when it comes to association football. They are not only regarded as the best, but the most exciting too. The A-League will never be able to compete with the European competitions for the best players, so I assume the clubs think a not well known player from a country with a unique reputation for skill and falir would draw the crowds more than a not well known player from Africa.

Has more to do what has tried and failed in the past. We have had a couple African players over here in the past in the NSL, but most struggled to adapt to Australian football and failed to draw crowds. Whereas even in the NSL guys like Rech where drawing some extra crowds and performed better in the league. After Fred worked last season and relative success of others, Brazilians and to a lesser extent South Americans were always going to be the flavour of the month.

The other factor is African footballers themselves. If you look at most young African footballers most only look at going to Europe and rather go to 3rd or 4th tier European side then go to USA, Asia or Australia. There is a few more youngsters going to USA, through the College system. But next to none want to try out Asia or Australia. I know the Mid East and laterly Japan and Korea have looked to import Africans for cheaper wages then South Americans, but little have shown interest in a move.

Last edited by chaminda_00; 16-08-2007 at 02:27 AM.

The man, the mountain, the Mathews. The greatest all rounder since Keith Miller. (Y)

Great effort against Argentina last night, and we were possibly a little unlucky not to come away with a draw. Carney was fantastic again, and has proved to be a revelation at left back, and it was probably the best game i've seen Bresciano play in the green and gold for a while. Speaking of Marco, how desperately unlucky was he with that freekick, bounced off the back of the keeper twice!!!!

We were clearly outclassed in terms of technical ability and speed though, probably most highlighted by Messi (the freak). All the same though, i thought our back 4, particularly Carney, did a great job in containing them.

Amazing how the Socceroos set up when they are up against top side and expected to lose. Kennedy and Thompson looks like a good combinations. Speed and skill from one end and high, strength and most importantly skill.

Still not sold on Carney and Wilkshere as wing backs, both did a good job but i rather a back three, with two defensive mids infront.

Bres as usually plays his best football when the pace is slowed down and you have more time to measure attacks. You wont get much of that type of football in Asia though.

But i thought the highlight of the game was the little things that Beauchamp did in defense. The sign of a good defender is his ability to read attacks against top quality attacks and thats something Beauchamp has that Kisnorbo didn't have. I guess thats the difference between Germany Division One and Championship, the tactically side of the game. Thats probably where i think David Carney will struggle long term as defender. Not going to Holland or Germany he wont get the tactic knowleadge to play different roles.

The color of immortality, nature and envy - you are truly a unique person. While clearly the color of nature, you also symbolize rebirth, fertility and hope in the world. On the other side of the spectrum, a natural aptitude to money with green coming to signify money and possibly even *********!

I'm surprised that's still the case considering I thought the Olympics is traditionally for amateurs, however tennis has been at the olympics for a fair while now and is played by professionals. I would have thought they would have allowed professionals to play soccer at the Olympics.

I'm surprised that's still the case considering I thought the Olympics is traditionally for amateurs, however tennis has been at the olympics for a fair while now and is played by professionals. I would have thought they would have allowed professionals to play soccer at the Olympics.

The problem is teams sent 2nd string sides when it was open. Thats why they changed it to Under 23, so most sides would still send full strength sides. They changed it from having 3 open aged players when only 50% of the sides where sending open age players.